In what has become somewhat of a recent rivalry (remember Fail Mary), the (8-3-1) Seattle Seahawks are headed to Lambeau Field to take on the (6-6) Green Bay Packers for the fourth time in the past three seasons (4.25pm ET, Sunday).

Despite having the better record and enjoying a pretty great season, the Seahawks find themselves just three point road favorites. That’s probably because Pete Carroll’s squad hasn’t won in Green Bay since 1999 which amounts to the last six games. Since the Seahawks last win, the team has been outscored at Lambeau by 104 points.

This is certainly something for this preview to keep in mind when looking ahead to Sunday night’s game and when deciding our concluding betting predictions and picks. However it’s not the only factor to consider. To Seattle’s credit, they are once again the league’s best defense, surrendering an NFL-low 16.2 points per game to opponents. The Packers will have a tough task but their offense is coming off of two pretty important wins against the Philadelphia Eagles on the road and the Houston Texans at home.

Green Bay will need to continue this recent momentum to keep pace with the Detroit Lions in the NFC North, who lead the division by two games, or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who lead the chase for the final wildcard spot by just one game. Long story short, Green Bay is once again making a playoff push and could be looking to close the season out strong as they have in the past. The task isn’t easy against the Seahawks but if anyone is up to it, it’s definitely the Packers.

Injury Report

Seattle’s league leading defense suffered a huge blow last week against the Carolina Panthers as safety Earl Thomas, who is really the team’s leader in the secondary, suffered a broken leg which will cause him to miss the rest of the season. Without Thomas, this is still a great unit, but his absence could open up some doors for Green Bay’s offense that otherwise wouldn’t have been there. Aaron Rodgers and Jordy Nelson (pictured), the team’s top receiver, will certainly look to exploit this matchup and Thomas’ absence by attacking deep down the middle of the field.

For the Packers, the biggest absence will be on their defensive line as Nick Perry has been ruled out of Sunday’s game due to a hand injury he sustained last week against the Texans. This means Julius Peppers and Datone Jones, who played over 55 snaps apiece last week, will once again be asked to come up big in Perry’s absence. They’ll need to hold the line against Seattle which will be easier said than done.

Green Bay Still Can’t Run the Ball

Two weeks ago against the Eagles, the Packers finally broke through the wall. They finally scored a touchdown by one of their running backs. But it wasn’t Eddie Lacy or James Starks or even Christine Michael, who was acquired by Green Bay after previously being with Seattle. No, it was fullback Aaron Ripkowski who did the honors. Ripkowski has now scored in two straight weeks despite only carrying the ball six total times. He is still the only running back on the team to break the plane.

For the Packers, this has been their real Achilles heel and it’s certainly hampered their ability to be as effective on offense this year as they have been in the past. Against the Seahawks, Green Bay might once again feel the ill effects of no running game as without it, they lose the full ability to take advantage of Thomas’ absence in the middle of the field.

Ironically enough however, it’s not like Seattle is opening eyes with its running game this year. For a team that was heavily criticized for not running the ball in a crucial situation in the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots, Seattle’s run game this year has struggled. Russell Wilson, normally an avid scorer on the ground, has just the one touchdown and the team’s top back, Thomas Rawls (who may not even play due to being in the league’s concussion protocol), has just two. Michael, who will be faced against his former team for the first time since the trade, had been Seattle’s leading rushing scorer with six touchdowns and 492 yards on 127 carries.

Simply put, if Green Bay is to win this one, it will be on the arm of Rodgers, which not insignificantly, has been one of the best in the league for the past several years.

December to Remember

Over their last 10 games in the month of December dating back two seasons, the Seahawks are 9-1 straight up and 9-1 against the spread. This includes both at home and away, which is something for us to consider when making our preview’s predictions and picks and when placing your bets on the outcome of this tilt. Yes they will be playing in Lambeau where they haven’t won in their last six tries and yes they will be without Thomas, but if history tells us anything it’s that the Seahawks are closers and always shine the brightest when their season most depends on it.

The Seahawks are coming off their most dominant win of the season, defeating the Super Bowl runner-up Panthers in a 40-7 blowout. This brought the team’s record on the season to 7-2-1 SU and 6-3-1 ATS in their last 10 games. But against the Packers, Seattle is just 2-5 against the spread in its last seven.

So, which trend is more likely to win out Sunday seems to be the question bettors are asking themselves when they come to do battle with the most trusted of the American sportsbooks. I’d guess it’s the December one given that is a more accurate representation of how the team finishes out their season. The Packers record dates back a few years, to a point where the teams looked very much different than they do now.

This one should be good as the Packers and Seahawks, Rodgers and Wilson, have developed a bit of a grudge match over the years. Both are talented and both have some big injuries to overcome. Seattle also has that six-game losing streak at Lambeau to get off their back.

So it’s tough to say who will come out on top in this NFL game but if you had to pick one, I’d advise that choice be the Packers. They seem to have Seattle’s number at home and the Green Bay team of the past two games is not the one that limped through the start of the season. This is a Packers team that is primed and poised for the playoffs and if they play like they did the last two weeks and defeat Seattle, they will be well on their way to that goal.

So the first of my betting predictions is to take the Packers +3pts @ -110 with Bovada or BetOnline. It is -115 for that spread with 5Dimes.

As for the total points scored, my betting picks’ advice is the under 46pts @ -110 with 5Dimes or Bovada. It is under 45.5pts with BetOnline. The Packers have played to the under in seven of their last 10 against teams with winning records.

Best Sportsbooks For USA Online Sports Betting:

1.Bovada
(All USA welcome except New Jersey, Nevada, Delaware, New York & Maryland states)2.Intertops
(All states allowed except Maryland, Washington, New York, Louisiana, Missouri, New Jersey, Kentucky)3.5Dimes
(All USA accepted)4.BetOnline Sportsbook
(All US states can join)5.Bookmaker.eu
(All United States can join)6.MyBookie
(All American states accepted)7.SportsBetting.ag
(All Americans welcome)Not from USA?Bet365
(Best for all other nationalities)